Nosema: A Problem in Your Hive?
Nosema is a microsporidian under the classification of fungus that attacks the gut of the honey bee and is one of the major threats to the honey bee population around the world. i Nosema is small (you can fit about 300 spores in a pin head) and damages the gut wall of bees meaning they cannot absorb nutrients, require more food and use protein to repair their own cells instead of feeding it to larvae.
There are now two different types of Nosema affecting the European Honey Bee: Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae. Nosema apis has been found in hives since the beginning of the twentieth century but Nosema ceranae was only discovered in the early 2000s. When N. ceranae was first found it was thought to be very similar to N. apis. As more research has been conducted and trials performed it has become clear that the two Nosema species are very different. The research group, Bee Doc, has found between 50 and 90 percent of hives throughout Europe, from Scandinavia to Southern France have Nosema. The majority of these hives have N. ceranae.
| Nosema apis | Nosema ceranae |
|---|---|
| Observed for over a century | Only discovered in European Honeybee in 2003 |
| Seasonal | Present all year |
| Spores resistant to cold, not heat | Spores resistant to heat, not cold |
| Medium impact on bee health | High impact on bee health |